1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus for forming an image on a record medium.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIG. 1 illustrates longitudinal (or lengthwise) feed and lateral (or breadthwise) feed of a record sheet (or paper). Numeral 1a denotes a cut sheet which is longitudinally fed, numeral 1b denotes a cut sheet which is fed laterally, numeral 1c denotes a continuous sheet which is fed longitudinally, numeral 1d denotes a continuous sheet which is fed laterally, and numeral 1e denotes an arrow which indicates a feed direction.
FIG. 2 illustrates a page direction of the record sheet, numeral 2a denotes a portrait document in which a direction of characters coincides to the longitudinal direction of the record sheet, and numeral 2d denotes a landscape document in which the direction of characters is orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the record sheet.
FIG. 3 illustrates a print direction of a recording apparatus, numeral 3a denotes a longitudinally printed document in which characters are printed downward from right top as viewed in the direction of characters and line shift is done leftward, and numeral 3b denotes a laterally printed document in which characters are printed rightward from left top as viewed in the direction cf characters and line shift is done downward. The print directions in the longitudinally printed document 3a and the laterally printed document 3b are based on the longitudinal print and lateral print commonly used in Japanese text and European text.
There are following three record formats on the record sheet.
(1) The feed direction formats of the record sheet are lateral (or breadthwise) feed and longitudinal (or lengthwise) feed.
(2) The page direction formats are portrait and landscape.
(3) The print direction formats of the recording apparatus are longitudinal print and lateral print.
When an image on the record sheet is to be defined in accordance with the formats (1)-(3), one record format out of 2.sup.3 =8 formats should be selected. In the prior art apparatus, an operator must manually operates in accordance with the character direction of the document and the feed direction of the record sheet while taking the formats (1)-(3) into consideration. Therefore, the print operation is complex and time-consuming and the print efficiency is very low. In order to attain the record formats (1)-(3), complex processing by a host computer such as rearrangement of characters from the host computer to the recording apparatus or combination of print position shift instructions for respective characters is required, and a print command cannot be sent in a simple manner.
FIGS. 4(a)-4(d) and 5(a)-5(d) show image printouts by a prior art dual-side recording apparatus.
FIGS. 4(a) and 4(b) show printouts by the dual-side recording apparatus when a reversal axis A of the record sheet is parallel to a seam side of the record sheet. Numerals 101a, 101b, 102a and 102b denote record sheets having characters printed thereon and having seam sides. Record sheets 101c and 102c are prepared by joining the seam sides of the record sheets 101a and 101b, and the record sheets 102a and 102b, respectively. FIGS. 4(c) and 4(d) show printouts by the dual-side recording apparatus when the reversal axis A of the record sheet is orthogonal to the seam side of the record sheet. Numerals 103a, 103b, 104a and 104b denote record sheets having characters painted thereon and having the seam sides. Record sheets 103c and 104c are prepared by joining the record sheets 103a and 103b, and the record sheets 104a and 104b, respectively. In the record sheets 101a and 101b, the page direction is landscape (the characters are printed such that the character direction is orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the record sheet), the print direction is lateral print and the feed direction is lateral feed (the record sheet is fed laterally as viewed in the record sheet feed direction B), and the line direction is orthogonal (90.degree. rightward) to the record sheet feed direction B and the character direction is parallel to the record sheet feed direction B. In the record sheets 102a and 102b, the page direction is portrait (the characters are printed such that the character direction is parallel to the longitudinal direction of the record sheet), the print direction is lateral print and the feed direction is lateral feed (the record sheet is fed laterally as viewed in the record sheet feed direction B), and the line direction is parallel to the record sheet feed direction B and the character direction is orthogonal (90.degree. rightward) to the record sheet feed direction. Dots . in the record sheets 101a, 101b, 102a, 102b, 103a, 103b, 104a and 104b represent seaming holes.
As seen from FIG. 4, when the record sheets 101a and 101b and the record sheets 102a and 102b having the seam sides which are parallel to the reversal axes A of the record sheets are joined on the seam sides, the record sheets 101c and 102c having the characters printed in the same direction are prepared. On the other hand, when the record sheets 103a and 103b and the record sheets 104a and 104b having the seam sides which are orthogonal to the reversal axes A of the record sheets are joined on the seam sides, the record sheets 103c and 104c having different character directions are prepared.
FIGS. 5(a) and 5(b) show printouts by the dual-side recording apparatus when the seam sides of the record sheets are orthogonal to the reversal axes A of the record sheets. Numerals 111a, 111b, 112a and 112b denote record papers having characters printed thereon and having seam sides. When the record sheets 111a and 111b and the record sheets 112a and 112b are joined on the seam sides, record sheets 111c and 112c are prepared, respectively. FIGS. 5(c) and 5(d) show printouts by the dual-side recording apparatus when the seam sides of the record sheets are parallel to the reversal axes A of the record sheets. Numerals 113a, 113b, 114a and 114b denote record sheets having characters printed thereon and having seam sides. When the record sheets 113a and 113b and the record sheets 114a and 114b are joined on the seam sides, record sheets 113c and 114c are prepared. Dots . on the record sheets 111a, 111b, 112a, 112b, 113a, 113b, 114a and 114b represent seaming holes.
As seen from FIG. 5, when the record sheets 111a and 111b and the record sheets 112a and 112b having the seam sides which are orthogonal to the reversal axes A of the record sheets are joined on the seam sides, the record sheets 111c and 112c having character directions are prepared. On the other hand, when the record sheets 113a and 113b and the record sheets 114a and 114b having the seam sides which are parallel to the reversal axes A of the record sheets are joined on the seam sides, the record sheets 113c and 114c having the same character direction are prepared.
Thus, in the prior art dual-side recording apparatus, the character direction of the printed characters is uniquely determined independently of the relationship between the reversal axis A of the record sheet and the seam side of the record sheet. As a result, the characters printed on the joined record sheets 103c, 104c, 111c and 112c are not in the proper positions so that when the dual-side printed record sheets are to be found, the record sheets must be reversed for each page.
If a record sheet can be fed only longitudinally because of a structural limitation of the printer, the characters are not properly printed on the both sides of the record sheet.
When the record sheets are to be found on shorter sides because of a special format but the record sheets are laterally fed such that the shorter sides of the record sheets are always parallel to the feed direction B of the record sheets, the character directions on the opposite pages are different if the dual-side printed record sheets are joined.
In the prior art apparatus, since the timings for writing the image and feeding the record sheets are fixed, the position of the image formed on the record sheet is uniquely determined by the image data.
As a result, if the image is at an undesired position on the record sheet, for example, if the image is formed on a left end of the record sheet, the image will be on the area where the seam holes are to be formed and the seaming holes cannot be formed, or the image on the record sheet may appear on a perforation line. In such cases, the image data must be reformed. When the images are to be formed on both sides of the record sheet, the image may be formed in an improper position on one side even if the image is formed in a proper position on the other side.